Craig Spencer Warns Ebola Outbreak Is Far Bigger Than Reported, 12 Years After His Infection
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · May 19
Craig Spencer Warns Ebola Outbreak Is Far Bigger Than Reported, 12 Years After His Infection
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · May 19
Dr. Craig Spencer, infected with Ebola in 2014, said he is certain the current outbreak is much larger than official case numbers show.
Spencer said the speed at which experts have learned about the outbreak suggests it is already widespread, calling that a sign the situation is "really bad."
He also blamed the U.S. pullback from its historic global health role for leaving the response flat-footed as an American doctor was recently infected while treating patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Spencer, now a Brown University public health professor and ER doctor, said he knows the fear of infection firsthand and would still consider returning to help if needed.
As a new Ebola strain spreads, is the U.S. prepared to handle a major global health emergency?
An Ebola survivor says the outbreak is 'much bigger' than reported. What is the true scale of the crisis?
With no vaccine for this Ebola strain, how can the escalating outbreak in Central Africa be stopped?
Ebola Bundibugyo Outbreak in DRC and Uganda: A Rapidly Escalating Crisis Amid Conflict, Weak Health Systems, and Global Funding Gaps
Overview
A rapidly escalating Ebola outbreak began in the DRC’s Ituri Province after a person died in Bunia and their body was returned to Mongbwalu, where a large funeral became a super-spreading event. This led to dozens of new cases by early May and triggered an immediate alert to the World Health Organization. Local testing could only detect the Zaire strain, missing the actual Bundibugyo species responsible, which delayed the response. The outbreak is unfolding in regions already facing humanitarian crises, making containment difficult and highlighting the urgent need for better detection, preparedness, and international support.